Scarlet Death
by SilverMoonrise
Summary: Let's suppose there's a girl called Scarlet. Let's suppose she's on a mission. Let's suppose that mission is madness. But, hey, where's the fun in a non-thrilling adventure? Let's suppose she falls in love along the way. She might not. Read to find out! Disclaimer: Terry Pratchet own the Discworld novels. I only own Scarlet.
1. Introduction

**Hey there, fandom of the Discworld. I've decided to post a Discworld fanfiction. Yes, yes, Piper, after all those complaints from you, I gave in. I hope you guys like it :D**

* * *

Introduction

My name: Scarlet.

Profession: Death Hunter.

Origin: Far beyond the Rim. I think.

Goal: Lean the tricks of the Death trade. Destroy Death.

I don't know why, but I just got here. I woke up with no recollection of who, or where I was. Only an urge to find and destroy the Death of the Discworld. It's been ten years. I named myself Scarlet, after the colour of my blood. I still don't know why I need to destroy Death. I still haven't so much as noticed anything that could resemble him, though I've watched people die. Nothing happens until I leave, when people claim to have seen a skeleton. I've travelled all over the Discworld, hiding in the shadows. Food and clothing wasn't a problem. It still isn't. Nobody notices a dark girl with raven hair lurking in the shadows. I'm currently residing in Ankh-Morpork.

There's a new band. They call themselves 'The Band with Rocks In'. People say the music changes you. They'd played one concert and suddenly everyone was walking around with black sequins and leather. They called it 'Music with Rocks In'.

Then there was a girl. A girl with a scythe. In a black robe. But she disappeared when you tried to look straight at her. After a few days of listening in on the local gossip, I made my way to Ankh-Morpork.

Then I met Susan. She wasn't your typical human, I guess that's why she noticed me.

Then my life took a turn for the worst when I passed out after a beggar walked past me.


	2. Susan Sto Helit

**Thanks for reviewing, myaps. I'm a little uninspired at the moment, and I had a late night. I sayed up writing the ****_whole_**** night. So, sorry it's a little short. If I get another review, I'll see if I can speed it up a little. They make me so happy :)**

**And would anyone care to check out any of my other fics?**

**Stay awesome, guys. :D**

* * *

Susan Sto Helit

Ponder POV

It wasn't very often that Ponder found pretty girls passed out right outside the University. He nudged her gently with his foot. She didn't wake up. Then he decided to take her to the university. Just encase...

* * *

I cringed, remembering the smell. 'Foul Ole Ron' they called him. I made a mental note to steer clear. I was aware of low voices in the background.

_"Hey, it's not my fault she passed out!"_

_"But you didn't have to bring her in! Ridcully's going to kill you!"_

_"Of course I did! She was...I mean, she could've...I mean...uuh..."_

I stretched and sat up. There was a young man standing beside me. I looked around...weren't there _two_ voices?

I blinked, "Hello."

"Oh, uh, he-hello, miss. I'm Ponder Stibbons."

"I'm Scarlet." I said, standing.

Ponder stepped back hurriedly, obviously unsettled by my raven mane. "I...found you outside the university."

I grimaced, "Yeah, I'm not quite used to the smell of Ankh-Morpork quite yet...Uh, could you tell me how-"

A man walked in. I recognised him. It was Mustrum Ridcully.

He looked from me to Ponder to a box with a wire stretched in it, then back to Ponder. "And who..._what _is this...I mean both of them!"

"That," he pointed to the box, where the wire was twanging a beat, "Is what sound looks like. And this is Scarlet, she-"

"Is leaving." I said.

"-is...wait, what?"

Ridcully shrugged, "Well, ok, then. Back to the music."

I slipped out of the door, then hurried down the hallway before anyone could notice me. I could hear Ridcully's voice echoing after me, muttering something about the music being alive.

I decided to forget about Death for the time being. There was something wrong with the music, and I was going to find out.

* * *

Then there was the girl. Susan. I saw her on the street with a black cloak. People were dressing in black these days because of the music, and I'd always thought of Death as a tall skeleton, so I didn't have any suspicions.

She noticed me. "Hello," she said, "You the new girl?"

I stopped, "Sorry?"

"I haven't seen you around before."

I panicked. Nobody ever noticed me until I wanted them to. "Are people talking about me?"

She cocked her head to one side, confused by my worry, "No. Like nobody notices me. But I notice everyone."

"Oh."I sighed, relieved. "Well then, yes. I'm new here."

"So where did you come from? What are you doing here?"

"I..." I thought for a moment, then decided to leave out the first question, "I'm a huntress."

Then I mentally slapped myself. What if this girl knew Death?"

"A huntress? Oh, that's cool. I'm taking over the family business. It's really hard work."

I decided not to ask what the business was. Then maybe she wouldn't ask what I was hunting.

She pulled the hood off her hood, exposed her white hair. With the random black lock, she looked like one of the music punks.

"I'm checking out the new music," she said, "There's something wrong with it."

"So am I. It's almost..."

"Alive." she finished.

I nodded.

"I'm Susan. Susan Sto Helit. I like your hair."

"I'm Scarlet. Just Scarlet. I like yours, too."

And that was the begining of an adventurous friendship.


	3. Music with Rocks In

**Sorry it's short, it was late at night...**

**I'll do triple the length next time, promise :D**

**Thanks to reviewers and followers and favers...and TiliaofAnkh, the awesome overload.**

* * *

Music With Rocks In

Just a few days passed. Susan and I spent most of our time discussing the music. Apparently the lead singer, Imp y Celyn, had died on a night at the Mended Drum but music had kept him alive. When I asked her how she knew that, she just shrugged and said she'd done research. Susan had a fancy for the young man. It was obvious in the way she spoke about it.

She wasn't your typical girl, I guess that's why she noticed me. Have I said that before? Oh. Anyway, we got on well. Though alarm bells went off in my head every time she left at night to 'go do her job'. I still hadn't asked her what it was.

The Band With Rocks In was playing a concert at the Cavern. Surprise, surprise, Susan and I decided to go. She'd been slightly jumpy and irritable since the previous night. Problem in the family business?

We went to the Cavern. We'd just missed the first performance, and the crowd was chanting _'rocks, rocks, rocks!'_. Finally the musicians plodded onto the stage. A dwarf, a troll and a young man with curly brown hair who was holding a guitar.

"That's him!" hissed Susan, "The one with the guitar!"

He strummed a few chords then looked up, "Hello, Ankh-Morpork!"

And then,  
they played.

Susan and I sat on the street corner, recovering.

"That was..."

"Weird." muttered Susan, "I told you it was alive."

"The University's trying to run tests on it." I said, glancing at the red sky.

"How do you run test on...uh...music?"

"They put it in a box and stuck a wire inside."

"But you can't catch music...then again..."

"This isn't exactly music." I finished. "I think we should go back to the Unseen University and check it out."

Susan stared into the sky. "Tomorrow."

"Why not now?"

She looked at me, "I have work to do. You know that."

"Couldn't you take just one night off?"

"It's not as simple as that...I should go." she stood up and started walking away. I thought about following her, then changed my mind. That could wait. I had to go talk to that guy...what was his name?...Potter Shinbones or something...no, that wasn't it...


	4. Music Boxes and Coffee Shop Explosions

**Sorry I'm late! Insparation levels are low at the moment...**

**Thank you so much, TiliaofAnkh and myaps, you guys seem to be my main reviewers. Thanks to TiliaofAnkh for following and faving.**

**Thanks to my friend Piper who dared me to write a discworld fic. Even if you're not reviewing...**

**Now, onto my sob story. I want to become an author, but I don't think my imagination is up to standard yet. I'm here so you guys can point out my strengths and wek points (or just to drop in and tell me you love it). I don't mind being told this fic isn't good, but I ****_would_**** like to know why you think that.**

**My dear Erbanana, I wouldn't mind a simple reason as to why. I just can't see it. It would be helpful if you would...**

**I'm going to the countryside, where there is no signal. I'll update when I can ;D Love you, guys!**

**On with the story! (you can guess what happensin this chapter. Just read the title)**

* * *

Music Boxes and Coffee Shop Explosions 

I wandered around for a bit until after dark, wondering about the music. Maybe some part of Imp could still resist it? I had my doubts about it. When Susan said something, there was always a compelling urge to believe every word.

I rounded a corner, then dashed back behind it at top speed. I flattened myself against the wall and pocked my head around it.

C.M.O.T Dibbler (apparently the band manager) was bearing a tray of unsold Band with Rocks In shirts. He was talking to Mustrum Ridcully and ... dear old Ponder Stibbons who was clutching the wooden box to his chest. The same box I had seen at the University.

Ridcully was saying something when the box flew out of Ponder's arms and landed on the street. The lid fell off, as any sensible loose lid would do, and music spilled out. I winced at the sudden blast of magic.

The conversation carried on. My ears eventually adjusted to the sound and I could make out the individual voices.

"Oh, yes, but you have to stretch a wire inside it so the music has somewhere to live and ouch ouch ouch." Ponder wheezed. Ridcully had elbowed him in the ribs.

"Can't think what's come over me with these sudden muscular spasms," said Ridcully, "Come, Mr Stibbons, let us not waste any more of Mr Dibbler's valuable time."

"Oh, you're not wasting it," said Dibbler, "Boxes full of music, eh?"

"_We'll _take this one," said Ridcully, snatching it up, "It's an important magical experiment."

He frogmarched Ponder away, which looked a little hard because he was bent double and wheezing.

Dibbler muttered to himself for a bit, staring after them. Then he seemed to have a light bulb moment and dashed inside.

I followed the two wizards, staying concealed in the shadows, listening.

"-monkey the key to the banana plantation." said Ridcully, "Sometimes you can just see an accident waiting to- oh, no."

I stiffened. Had Ridcully heard me?

But he just motioned to where the local coffee shop used to be, 'Got any theories about _that_, young man?'

Something golden-brown and viscous was oozing out on to the street from what was just possibly, behind the mounds of the stuff, the coffee shop. As I watched there was a tinkle of glass and the brown substance began to emerge from the second floor.

Then I felt something tickling my shoulder. I looked down and screamed, launching myself away from the wall where I was pressed, trying desperately to get the eight-legged being away from my neck. To make matters worse, I tripped and fell backwards into the coffee-smelling foam.

I sat up, coughing. The two wizards had frozen in place and were staring at me. On the bright side, the thing that had frightened me seemed to have disappeared.

"Hi," I said, "Anyone for extra foam?"

"How long have you been following us?" Ridcully looked unimpressed.

"Following you?" I stood and attempted to stride toward him in a menacing way, but I slipped in the foam and fell on my backside. Ponder burst out laughing. I glared at him, "Well, I was just walking down the street on a midnight stroll."

"In the shadows? Pressing yourself against the old wall? Your footfalls undetectable?" the old wizard snorted, "Yeah, 'just walking down the street', for sure."

A figure lurched out of the froth, dripping brown bubbles. Nobody moved.

"Ah, yes! Did anyone get the number of that ox-cart? Another doughnut, if you would be so good!" then it fell over.

"That sounded like the Bursar to me." said Ridcully still staring at me. "You, stay there." he pointed at me. Then he turned and started walking into the sea of bubbles, "Come on, lad. It's only bubbles."

Ponder hesitated a moment, then followed him. I stood up, wondering whether to stay or run. Then I followed the two wizards. I had to talk to Ponder.

I grabbed what felt like an arm.

"Er, hello?" asked a voice.

"Who's that?" said another.

"It's me, Stibbons. I've come to rescue you."

"Good. Which way is out?"

"Er-"

There were some explosions somewhere in the coffee cloud and a popping noise. The level of bubbles was sinking. I started tugging the arm to where I thought was the way out. I burst out of the bubbles and stared into the face of the Dean of the Unseen University, still partially coated in coffee froth.

Ngh. Wrong person. Smooth.

"Sorry," I said, "I thought you were someone else."

He put a finger to his lips and slipped back into the rapidly disappearing bubbles.

I took a deep breath. The next time I looked up, there were wizards and columns of foam alike standing around, unmoving.

"Something bloody stupid's been going on here," said Ridcully, "and I'm going to wait quite patiently until the Dean owns up."

The conversation went on. The Dean thought the coffee ought to be frothy. The owner of the shop demanded payment. They discussed Mrs. Whitlow's under garments. What's new?

I waited until Ridcully was snapping at the wizards, then made my way over to Ponder.

"Pssst." I whispered, coming up behind him.

He jumped. Then clutched his chest. "Don't do that!"

"Keep it down!" I looked around. Everyone seemed to be focusing entirely on Ridcully, who was still yelling away. "I need to talk to you."

Ponder looked confused for a moment, then his face flushed, "Oh, uh-"

"Not that! I meant the music!" I hissed.

He looked relieved and maybe just a little disappointed, "Oh. Ok, so what about it?"

"Not here."

Ridcully finally stopped and looked at me, "And as for you...Who the hell are you and what do you want?"

"How about at the University?" Ponder said in a low voice.

"Sounds good." I whispered, "Is he going to kill me?"

Ponder looked at Ridcully, "Um, why don't we take her back to the University?"


	5. That Annoying Voice

**HEY! Miss me? No? Well, that's to be expected, I guess. I'm posting another chapter in a few minutes, so be sure to check them both out ;D**

**Clemma, I'm glad I've persuaded you to read fanfiction :D**

That Annoying Voice at the Back of your Head

We were gathered in a circle around the music box in some old haven't-found-a-use-for-it-yet room. Everyone who was involved in the music was there. They looked from me to the box expectantly. Then Ridcully coughed and everyone grasped the fact that the box wasn't going to do anything and stared at me.

"Right." I said, "I'll start off the old fashioned way. Why are we here?"

"To discuss the music?" asked Recent Runes.

"What about the music?"

"It's Music with Rocks In." said the Dean.

"What is Music with Rocks In?"

They blinked and stayed silent. Then Ponder found the memory he was looking for, "Music that's alive."

"Well done. Now, what do we want to do with it?"

Silence. Ridcully coughed again. Then everyone started talking at the same time.

"Uuh, you said you wanted to ask _me_ something?" Ponder hissed into my ear.

"Indeed. But I find it a tad difficult when there's a lot of people...as you can see."

"Right..." he cleared his throat, "I think it's time for a bit of a break."

The room fell silent. The Dean blinked. Then they all yelled "COFFEE!" and ran out of the room.

Ridcully put his head in his hands. "Oh, no, not again!" he dashed out after them.

Ponder scratched his head.

"That was pretty spectacular, actually." I said. "Now, you can trap the music in a box, right?"

"Right."

"And if you string a wire through it, it plays a tune, right?"

"Right."

"And that's not supposed to happen, is it?"

"It isn't."

"Why does it do that?"

"Nguuuh... It's alive?"

"That's what everyone's thinking. It has to be true. I mean, it's infected the Dean and a few others I don't know..."

"And how do I come into play here?"

"You found out how to get the music to replay."

"Yes...and?"

I opened my mouth. Then closed it again. That annoying voice at the back of my head said, _"You need Susan. You have no clue what to ask this...seriously good-looking young Wizard!"_

I nearly laughed out loud. No way was I going to marry. My destiny was to find and kill Death, even if it meant killing myself.

_"But he's single."_

No.

_"Availability..."_

No.

_"C'mon, just a little-"_

Shut it.

The voice retreated. Ponder was blinking at me. "Yes?"

_"Kiss him!"_

"I need a moment..." BUGGER OFF!

* * *

**Don't be quick to judge here. There's a plot twist ;D**


	6. Odd Things Happen

Odd Things Happen

Susan paced the study. She finally came to a decision.

"Scarlet."

Nothing.

"Right...SCARLET."

A thin book appeared in her hands. Well, actually it was quite thick, but it was miniscule in comparison to others. Susan frowned. She could've sworn Scarlet was about her age. She opened the book.

As she read, her eyes widened. She snapped the book shut and took a deep breath. Odd things were happening.

Then a voice said, _"Imp. Well, now he's Buddy, I guess."_

Right. He was her first priority. She would see Scarlet tomorrow anyway. Then she would have to confront her.

Susan popped into existence in Buddy's room.

"What the-"

Both Buddy and Susan whirled.

"What's going on?" asked Scarlet.

* * *

**OOOOH, what's happening now? Review, readers, review! Cookies to those who guess who have the closest guess!**


End file.
